Underneath a railway bridge on the edge of Glasgow's city centre there's a tiny street called Schipka Pass. It doesn't go anywhere, and on some maps it doesn't appear at all. One of the half-derelict buildings on the street is occupied by something called the St. Andrew's Market. Every centimetre of the outside of this market is covered in home-made, hand-painted signs and billboards commemorating obscure events in Scottish history, or the results of long forgotten football matches. In amongst all these are three or four that actually relate to the business itself, and they all say the same thing: 'rubbish bought, antiques sold'.

This curious byway, just east of Glasgow Cross, holds a Crimean War memory in its name. Of the hive of old closes that environed it originally, little is left. In its day it took the place, doubtless, of an older lane which saw kings and bishops, and Mary, Queen of Scots, herself, and heard the jingling of Claverhouse’s dragoons, the shots of Covenanters, the clash of Wallace’s sword, the very step, perhaps, of Prince Charlie. For the "pass" is at the heart of Glasgow’s historic past.

emmar wrote:yeah that is a wierd bit. All I know is that the streets are named after army typey stuff ( Barrack st too)

BARRACK STREET, opened 1795. It formed the eastern boundary of the Infantry Barracks, which were built on lands anciently known as the Butts, where the citizens practised archery. A battle was fought here during the reign of Queen Marie between the Regent Arran and Lennox and Glencairn. Upwards of three hundred fell on either side, and the town suffered severely, as it was given up to pillage. A large portion of these lands was granted to the Government in 1795 as a site for an infantry barracks, for which purpose they were utilised for well-nigh a century but the locality becoming unsuitable, new quarters were erected in the north-west portion of the city. In the circumstances it was fully expected that the ground which the War Office authorities had so long enjoyed the free use of would have been handed back to the city to be utilised as an open garden space, which was much needed in the district, but with that parsimony which is invariably shown to Scotland in things Imperial a deaf ear was given to all remonstrance, and the place was sold for a very large sum To a railway company.

I undesrtand that the Jag's graffiti ('nuttiness'? really, what a cheek ) is the work of one of the proprietors in the lane. When I was a boy we were told that "five people were murdered in there" another versions was that "five women were murdered in there"

Shipka pass is owned by as man called Dick Barton,who also owns a pool hall on London road, he is well known as an amatuer football pundit, who is Jags mad unsurprisingly. some of the signs are hilarious. He always puts questions into the evening times column 'Now You Know" with some obscure footy question.

I'll start with the (maybe) painfully obvious.
It could be that "Schipka Pass" was named after a battle which took place between Bulgarian Volunteers & Turkish Invaders in 1877.

Only then can we assume that the "pass" was named after this battle. It's the most obvious thing i could find on "Google" relating to the subject matter. Afterall, there are other streets in Glasgow with war connections-Crimea Street etc

I read about it in a book recently that it was in fact named after the Russo-Turkish War in the nineteenth century and stated that nobody remembered why it came about.
It was apparently covered, giving it a one sided arcade look.

As Crusty Bint mentioned above. The barracks were built on what is now the abandoned railway goods yard on High Street.

Before they were built the area was known for hundreds of years as 'The Butts'. It being an open piece of ground where Wappenschaws were held.
These were weapon shows of their day where swordsmen,archers and spearmen did their training exercises.
Bulit in 1795 it remained there until 1870 when it was relocated to Maryhill Barracks. which is also now long gone, only a wee bit of wall left!.

Which begs the question- why do they always leave a 'Wee' bit of wall IE: Duke Street Prison etc. after demolition. Are walls Grade 'A' listed?